Fertilizer batcher



Sept. l, 1925.

A. J. SACKETT n FERTILIZER BATCHER Filed .May 19,1925 2 sneetsheez -1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @Hoznu Sept. 1, 1925:

K A. J. sAcKc-:TT

FERTILIZER BATCHER Flled May 19, 1925 accordance with the invention.

Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES y 1,551,623. jrfafrlalirA OFFICE.-

AUeUsrUs J. s'AcKE'rr, or saumons, MARYLAND.

FEBTILIZER BATGHEB.

Application mea may 19,1925. seriai'no. 31,352.y c d To all whom t may concern:

Be tknown that I, AUGUsTUs J. SAoKE'r'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain'new and usefulmprovements in Fertilizer Batchers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

`In the manufacture of commercial fertilizers, various comminuted solid materials of different specific gravities areamixedfmechanically either before or after the final grinding.. At present, owing to the difliculty incident to producing a product containing the-various ingredientsk uniformly distributed by any other means, this mixing opera-l tionk is performedl by hand usually by a number of men with shovels in a pity from which the finished product is carried by an elevator to a grinder where the inal grindinn operation is performed.

lnder present conditions any operation requiring hand labor is expensive. Further, the maintenance of such a mixing pit in the average fertilizer factory, which is generally on the waterfront, is an important item on accountof the difficulty incident to excluding waterfrom the pit.

The mixing operation referredto is lordinarily termed ."batchingf as the. in` gredients necessary to a batchof fertilizer of predetermined quantity and proportions, are ordinarily measured out, mixed in the pit-and fed tothe grinder. Therefore, the present apparatus which receives the conf stituents of the batch measured out in ac# cordance with the previous practice, ,either before or after grinding, and mixes them, is termed a batcher or mixer, and while it has beendesigned for the purpose of mixing fertilizer ingredients, it is capable of vuse in any capacity where dr comminuted materials are mixed under similar circumstances.

The apparatus is'further what may be termed a static mixer in that withthe exception of ksuch motion as may be found desirableffor adjustment of theparts and the opening and closing of theH gate or yvalve which regulates theow of material therethrough, it has no moving parts, the mixing beingperformedy by'a seriesyo'f vanes, baffies or walls arranged for thislpurposein In. the performance of themixmg operation, various ingredients inA predetermined ambitie@ as stated are paarse at? tether;

per or mixing chamber which has a valve at the bottom, the Valve being in accordance withV the present preferred operation closed during the introduction of the ingredients and opened to-freleasethemwhen thetotal charge has been introduced and is ready for Y grindingor for mixing and delivery, in case the nal grinding has been previously per.- formed. Under ordinary circumstances in the absence of the mixing baffies, and with reasonable regard to the difference in weights of the materials, the heaviest material naturally having a tendency to move by gravity a little faster than thelighter materials, the ingredients first introduced would when the material has all been discharged, appear at the bottom centre of the i heap if the material be caughty as delivered instead of being passed onward to a grinder,

but by means of the improved apparatus described herein, the materials introduced are so delivered that the cross-section of the heap or' body of material discharged and consequently each transverse cross-section of the stream of material as discharged contains the various ingredients in substantially thegproportions in which they were introduced.

The mixer of batcher in the preferred form comprises as aforesaid a hopper or mixing chamber in therbottom of which is a valve or gate, and a plurality of baiiies, termedfor convenience, a centre baffle, the hopper baiiies andthe inclined side baffles. The centre baflie is between the feed opening which as shown' is at the top, and the valve opening which as shown is at theI bottom. This baflie has one or more baffle surfaces, the centre baflie as shown comprising two baffie surfaces converging toward the centre of the feed opening so that the bulk of the material as introduced is diverted from the direct line from the feed opening to the delivery'valve 'or gate. The Vpassage through the valve opening of thematerial thus diverted isl further restricted by baffles which V are substantially parallel t() the direct line fromthe feed opening to the valve opening,

and which for convenience have'been desig= natedthe hopper baiesaandin its preferred form as shown, thebatcherormixing chamber is v`also provided at the sides near the bottom with walls inclined downwardly to-` batcher from one mixing operation to the next. These are referred to herein as side baffles. A

The baffles or walls referred to as hopper baffles are spaced downward from the centre baffle, and in the operation of the mixer, it being understood that tlievallvev at the bottom of the chamber is closed during the introduction ofthe materials, the ingredients first introduced being deflected immediately on entering, accumulate at the side or sides of the chamber nntillthe space fbetween the outside walls and the 'upright or hopper baflies, begins to'overfl'ow these walls, when the space at the centre of the chamber within the hopper baffles gradually fills with material which flows or rolls down the surface of the material thus accumulated, forming a fairly uniform mixture of the ingredients -later introduced, and whenthe 'valves are opened, the materialsffroin the centre andsfides being released almostsimultaneously, the release ofthe materials inthe side compartments first introduced being preferably slightly restrictedfto assist Lin mixing, pass downward together with the'result, as shown 'by experiment, that the various ingredients which may beef-different specific gravities introduced successively appear Ain the heap 0f material rwhich may be caught underthe mixer or passed to the grinder in portions which in any cross-'section of the heap or off the `streamas discharged correspond almost 'exactly to the proportions in which these ingredients were introduced.

The mixer is preferably operated by gravity, though ythe materials may be fed to it in any manner founddesirable, yand While it operates as a single uni-t with a Vfair degree of satisfaction, any desirednumber of the units may be `placed in series, repeating vthe mixing operation 4as 'many times vas suchv repetition is found desirable, the mixing operation being performed in a comparatively sma-ll area with the minimum of expense, the mixers or batchers when more than one is used, being placed in a` vertical line, i. e., one overthe other, the materials being fed thereto by an ordinary 'power ele`l vator or conveyor', dispensing entirely with hand labor in mixing the `materials.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a batcher or mixer embodying the features of my invention in the preferred form, the same being shown 'in connection with an elevator by which Ithe materials may be fed to advantage'.

in the ldrawings-n; v

Figure4 l is l"a vertical central sectionY through a single unit of', the batcher l'or mixer. i A

Figui-e2 is a horizontal lsection on the line 2, 2 of Figure I, showing the casing, etc., as of rectangular eross-seetion;

Figure 3 is a similar section which may be considered as taken on the same line, 2, 2, Figure l showing the apparatus as circular in cross-section.

Figure 4l is a side elevation of a complete mixer or batcher with an elevator for feeding the same.

Figure 5 isa 'front view, i. e., an elevation taken from the right in Figure 4. i

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicate the same or similar parts in the different figures, the batcher or mixer as shown comprises a chamber or casing l which may be cylind-rical'or rectangular or otherwise shaped to suit the 'convenience of the fertilizer manufacturer. Thiscasing or hopper as shown has a feed opening 2 at 4the top of reduced cross-sectional area as compared to the greatest horizontal cross-sectional area of the casing, and a valve or gate opening 3 at the bottom which is shown as of but slightly less area thanv the cross-sectional area of the chamber, the area of the valve opening being slightly reduced by downwardly and inwardly inclined' walls or bafiles t at the sides referred tol herein as side baflies; The baiiie which will be termed the centre baiiie isinterposed ybetween the feed opening 2 and the valve or gate vopening 8, the same being inclined` downwardly and outwardly toward the sides l and preferably having a plurality of surfaces converging toward the feed opening, and as aforesaid inclined Idownwardly 'toward the sides of the chamber or hopper l, the said baille being spaced welll upV away from the valve `opening 3 at the bottom of the chamber to provide `ample room for the accumulation of the material to be mixed below the baille' and for the passage of the materials fbetwen the ba'liie 5 and the hopper bafiies 6 which are preferably disposed in the direction of a lin-e from the feed opening to the valve opening. As shown, these hopper battles lor upright walls 6 extend upward from the plane of the valves or gates '7 about halfway to the bottom of the main baffle 5, though the spacing of these baflles 6 both from valves Z and the main baiile 5 is a matter of design tovbe determined by the conditions presented, as are likewise the de tails of form, proportions andl arrangement, of the entire apparatus. As shown these baes G :are made adjustabler as to their width or height in the direction of feed, each being vin the form of two yplates connected by bolts 9 engaging slots 10.

The valves or gates 7 as shown are pivoted ait-the sides on horizontal pinsor shaftsv 8 to swing downwardly fromv the centre at which point they fmeet. vAfsshown these` valves 'elxtend'entirely across the lhopper in the direction ofthe'shafts S, but Vin the di# rection atr Vright `angles thereto they are spaced inwardly from the line of the extion by a pawl 21. The valve 7.of the lower.

that the valves 7 areactuated by segmental gears 12, one on each shaft or .pin 8, whichA segments in theV instance of the upper batcher 13 are engaged by the teeth of an upright rack 14 which is between the segmental gears, having teeth on its opposite surfaces to mesh with the respective seg'- ments 12, 12 andthis racl; is `'formed on a rod 15 which isshown as sliding vertically in bearings 16 "on the casing. YThe lower portion of the rod 15 is provided with raclr Y teeth 17 engaged by a pinion 18 on a shaftk 19vwhich maybe rotated by a hand crank 20` to operate the valve 7 of the upper mixer.'

The pinion 1Sfis locked in any desired posi# unit 28 is controlled by intermeshingsegments 22 on the hinge .pins or shafts'S thereof, one of which segments-as shownv is engaged by a pinion 23 rotated by a hand crank 24 independently of the cranlr20 and locked against reversal by a pawl 25. The upper unit is fed byan elevator 26 of any suitable type, which discharges through a pipe 27 into the feed opening 2 at the top of the upper batcher which in turn dis charges yinto the lower batcherA 28.

The operation of the batcher willv be clearly understood from the preamble and description. The ingredients for eachbatch are measured and introduced into the pit 29 in any manner or sequence which iis found convenient, andv the Valve or gate 7 Y of the lloatclier or of each successive unitV of the heaped up to the angle assumed by the material as shown at 31 in Figure 1, the material later introduced completing thebatch rolls down the top surface of the material at 82 thus deposited and enters the enclosed space within the hopper bafiies 6. In this connection it is of particular importance toL note that the hopper bafflesj intersect theL valve @parma When the entire batch has been introduced into the casing or batcher 1, and it should i be noted in this connection that the batcher must be of such proportions as to receive and contain at one time a suitable load or charge comprising all the ingredients of a single batch of fertilizer, the valves-7 are opened and practically simultaneous.discharge from the entire cross-section of the batch takes place, the materials at the sides which is first introduced and the materials at the centre, the bulk vof which was later introf duced, being discharged simultaneously and completely mixed to the extent that a crosssection'of the heap, if the materials be caught directly beneath the batcher, contains the various ingredients introduced substantially in the proportions introduced, and

that each cross-section of the stream of material from the batcher likewise contains the various materials in corresponding proportions, rreference being to horizontal sections. It will be further noted that the height of hopper balile 6 Ahas an important bearing on the mixing operation and onf the size of the charge accommodated. As the filling of the central compartment between thehopper baffles, though it progresses to a'slight 'extent before theouterV compartment between the hopper baffle 6 and the outside walls 30, is completed, is accomplished in the main after this outer compartment is filled and heaped to the maximum angle of rest assumed by the material.Y For this reason the walls 6 are made adjustable as to their height which permits them yto be adjusted to some extent to the size of the batch being treated and further to' produce the most complete and satisfactorymixing effeet, and the base of the incline of baffle 5' is spaced away from the sides of chamber 1.

The invention .may also be treated in its broad conception as a method of mixing coinminuted materials which consists in introducing the materials', to bemixed into an enclosure having la' rtransverse partition, causing the material to overflow the partition and accumulating considerable portions Y of the material on both sides of the partition and then releasing the material from both sides of the partition simultaneously.

I have thus described specically and in detail a single embodiment of my invention in order that the method and operation of the saine may be clearly understood; however, the specific terms herein are used de scriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure "by Iletters Patent is:

1. A fertilizer mixer or batcher comprising an Vouter casing having a feed opening at the top, a discharge opening at the bottom, a gate or valve controlling the discharge ico 2. A fertilizer batcher comprising a chamber to cont-ain the batch having feed and discharge openings, a baille near the feed opening inclined from the feed opening toward the side wall of the chamber and toward the discharge opening, a valve for closing the discharge opening and a second baille in the chamber intersecting the discharge opening and spaced away from the first-'named baffle.

3. A fertilizer batcher comprising a chamber to contain the batch having feed and 'discharge openings, a baiiie near the feed opening inclined from the feed opens ing toward the side wall of the chamber and toward the discharge opening, a valve for closing the discharge opening and a second baiiie inthe chamber intersecting the discharge opening and spaced away from the first-named baille, the latter beine being substantiallyvin line in the direction of discharge with the edge of the first-named bafiie which is spaced from the side of the chamber.

4, A fertilizer batcher comprising a chamber to contain the batch having feed and discharge openings, a battle near the feed opening inclined from the feed opening toward the side wall of the chamber `and toward the discharge opening, a valve for closing the discharge opening, and a second baiiie 'in the chamber intersecting the discharge opening and spaced away from the first-named baille, the second-named baiile being adjustable toward and from the first baille.

5. A fertilizer batcher comprising a chamber to contain the batch having feed and discharge openings, a baille near the feed opening inclined from the feed opening toward the side wall of the chamber and toward the discharge opening, a valve for closing the discharge opening and a second baffle in the chamber intersecting the discharge opening and spaced away from the iirst--named baffle, the side baffles near the valve Iopening.

'6. The method of mixing comminuted materials which consists in introducing` the materials to be mixed into an enclosure having a transverse partition causing the material to overfiow the partition, accumulating considerable quantities of the material on both sides of the partition, and then reeasing the material simultaneously from both sides of the partition.

7. The method of mixing comininuted materials which consists in depositing the materials in one side of the partition, causing them to overflow the partition and accumulate on both sides of the partition, and releasing the material from both sides of the partition simultaneously.

8. yEhe method of mixing comminuted materials which consists in depositing the materials in one side of the partition, causing them to overflow the partition and accumulate on both sides of the partition, and releasing the material from both sides of the partition simultaneously, slightly restraining the release of material on the side of the partition on wnich the materials are first deposited.

9. A fertilizer batcher having a mixing chamber with a discharge opening at the bottom, means for closing the discharge opening, an upright partition intersecting the discharge opening, and means for depositing` comminuted material to be mixed on one side of said partition, permitting it to overflow the partition so that the material can be thus accumulated on both sides of the partition and released simultaneously by opening the closing means.'

l0. A fertilizer batcher having a mixing chamber with a discharge opening at the bottom, means for closing the discharge opening', an upright partition intersecting the discharge opening, and means for depositing comminuted material to be mixed on one side of said partition, permitting it to overflow the partition so that the material can be thus accumulated on both sides of the partition and released simultaneously by opening the closing means, and means for slightly restricting the discharge on the deposit side of the partition.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this 18th day of May, 1925.

AUGUSTUS J. SACKETT. 

